The AMT BC-1 "Bass Crunch" is a two-channel JFET bass guitar preamp built into a stomp box by AMT Electronics1. Rather than switching between separate pedals for clean and dirty tones, a player gets both in one unit: a Clean channel and a Drive channel, each footswitchable, with the Drive channel offering Low gain and High gain modes12. The preamp is analog throughout, and AMT builds it on its own custom technology using JFET emulation of the vacuum tube clipping range, which is how the maker approaches tube-like overdrive without any tubes in the circuit13.
Alongside the preamp itself, the BC-1 carries a set of built-in processing: an IR cab simulation with one impulse response shared by both L/R channels per preset, a power amp section with 9 types, a noise gate with a global setting, and delay and reverb45. The Cab Sim output also allows direct connection to a computer, so the unit can serve as a recording interface on its own4.
The two channels
The Clean channel, in AMT's description, "shapes the classic bass guitar sound characteristic for «old» amplifiers and allows both velvet transparent sound and slight compressed overdrive depending on the position of Gain control"1. Its Level control adjusts the output signal level1. In practice this means the Clean channel can sit anywhere from an uncolored buffer to a lightly pushed vintage-amp feel, set by where the Gain knob lands.
The Drive channel is where the BC-1 earns its "Bass Crunch" name. It offers Low gain and High gain modes, and AMT describes High Mode as providing "additional possibilities in terms of the range enrichment towards higher sound density and aggressiveness"1. Shaping the overdriven tone is an adjustable 3-position mid-range filter combined with what AMT calls deep adjustments along the frequency ranges1. A Footswitch DRIVE control switches the Drive channel on and off, with an LED indicating when it is active1.
| Channel or mode | What it does |
|---|---|
| Clean | Classic "old amplifier" bass sound, from transparent to slight compressed overdrive depending on Gain1 |
| Drive, Low gain | Lower-gain drive setting2 |
| Drive, High gain (High Mode) | Higher sound density and aggressiveness1 |
| Drive tone shaping | 3-position mid-range filter plus deep frequency-range adjustments1 |
Power and connections
The BC-1 runs on 18V DC, center negative, and draws 1250mA3. That current draw is far beyond a typical 9V drive pedal, so it needs a dedicated 18V output or adapter rather than a shared daisy chain. For players who want to run it standalone, the unit also has a battery compartment that takes two 9V batteries1.
On the right panel, the connections are straightforward: INPUT is the instrument input of the preamp, and SEND FX sends the signal out to external effects1. The Cab Sim output allows direct connection to a computer for recording4.
The 1250mA draw at 18V rules out powering the BC-1 from a standard 9V pedal supply output. Check that your power brick has an 18V output rated for the full current before building the BC-1 into a board.
Effects and cab simulation
The built-in processing goes beyond a basic preamp. The IR cab simulation uses one impulse response for both L/R channels per preset45, and the power amp section offers 9 types5. A noise gate with a global setting rounds out the feature set5. AMT's media center has demonstrated the unit running direct to a computer through the Cab Sim output4, and in another demo driving a Laney VC50 power amp, miked, with an inexpensive P-Bass copy as the source instrument6.
Where it came from and who plays it
Players comparing AMT's bass line can also look at the AMT O-BASS, the AMT Bass ZEALOT BZ-300, and the AMT Bricks O-Bass, or browse preamp pedals and bass pedals more broadly.
Videos
Brett Kingman
Brett Kingman
ToneZone!
Questions
Can the AMT BC-1 run on batteries?
Yes. The unit has a battery compartment that takes two 9V batteries, so it can run without a power adapter. It also accepts an 18V DC adapter, which is the normal way to power it on a pedalboard.
What power supply does the AMT BC-1 use?
It runs on 18V DC, center negative, with a current draw of 1250mA. That is well above what a standard 9V pedal supply delivers, so it needs a supply or output rated for 18V at that current.
What does High Mode do on the AMT BC-1?
High Mode is a setting on the Drive channel that, in AMT's words, provides additional range enrichment toward higher sound density and aggressiveness. It sits alongside the Low gain option, giving the drive channel two characters.
Who is Mat Lehmann and how is he connected to the AMT BC-1?
Mat Lehmann is an endorser of AMT Electronics. The company's media center posted an interview with him in May 2016 and a demo video titled LEHMANN SCREAMING BASS featuring the BC-1 in November 2015.
Is the AMT BC-1 a tube preamp?
No. It is an analog preamp built on AMT's custom technology using JFET transistors to emulate the clipping range of vacuum tubes. There are no tubes in the unit.
Does the AMT BC-1 have an effects send?
Yes. The right panel carries a SEND FX jack for sending the signal to external effects, alongside the instrument input, so you can place your own pedals in the preamp's signal path.
Sources (6)
- AMT BC-1, AMT Electronics, 2026
- AMT Electronics BC-1 Bass Crunch, Media center of AMT Electronics
- BC-1 by AMT Electronics, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- AMT Electronics BC-1 ‘Bass Crunch’: Direct to computer via Cab Sim output., Media center of AMT Electronics
- AMT BC-1, AMT Electronics media center, 2015-07-02
- AMT Electronics BC-1 ‘Bass Crunch’: To Laney VC50 Power Amp and miked (with a cheap P-Bass copy), Media center of AMT Electronics
